Definition: Arboriculturist Job Description

What are the Arboriculturist’s missions? What training to follow to exercise this profession? What are his outlets and his salary? The answers are provided to you by this Arboriculturist job description.

Arborist profession

Specialist in the maintenance of fruit, ornamental and forest trees, find out how become an arborist, the average salary and possible changes.

What is an arborist?

From seasons to seasons, the arborist or arboricultural agent is responsible for selecting tree varieties according to their function (produce fruit, decorate, reforest) and/or land for planting, pruning, shaping, protecting, maintaining and harvesting the production as needed.

Arboriculture is a sector that requires a lot of labor, both permanent and seasonal. Hence an increasingly specific qualification for plantation maintenance techniques.

He knows the characteristics specific to each tree, the appropriate actions, the care to be given in each season.

Missions of the arborist

• Prune trees
• Prepare the terrain
• Training trees (shaping them)
• Treat trees the way
• Caring for trees
• Follow the good development of the fruits
• Maintain agricultural machinery and equipment
• Harvest the production
• Sort and size the fruits
• Clean and condition the fruits

Qualities to become an arborist

Versatility

The arborist must adapt easily to various cultures but also to the rhythm imposed by nature and the weather.

Autonomy

From planting to harvest, the arboriculturer is based on teamwork while remaining autonomous. He applies the instructions of the crop manager or the operator.

Good physical ability

He has good physical resistance and endurance: the loads are sometimes heavy and the work is often done in the open air.

Observer

This capacity often depends on production. He must watch very closely the stems, branches, leaves and emerging fruits to detect the beginning of disease or the nuisances of an insect.

Training to become an arborist

While picking and pruning can be learned on the job, pruning requires some experience and a good knowledge of tree species. An increasingly specific qualification is therefore strongly recommended in order to evolve more quickly.

Initial training

CAP level

• CAP agricultural Trades in agriculture
• BPA work in horticultural production

Baccalaureate standard

• Pro horticultural production bin

Licence level

• BTSA PH – horticultural production,
• BTSA agronomy: plant production

Master level

• License pro plant productions
• License pro management of agricultural and agrifood organizations

Continuing education

All working professionals can take advantage of continuing education to acquire new skills, specialize, develop in their profession or retrain. For this, all of the above initial training is accessible through vocational training.

Salary of an arborist

An arborist is generally paid at the minimum wage, to which are added performance bonuses. If he is a farmer, his salary will depend on his level of production and the prices charged.

Opportunities and evolutions of the arborist

With health developments, technological innovations, international competition or even environmental expectations, arboriculture is at the heart of all these concerns.

In terms of labor recruitment, arboriculture ranks second, after viticulture. However, the required workforce must be increasingly qualified to respect the concepts of quality, safety, appearance, sales criteria and economic survival of farms.

L’arboriculturist can, with experience, become a team leader, even a crop manager or specialize in the cultivation of certain species or forestry (forest trees).

An experienced arborist may also be hired by an experimentation station specializing in the cultivation of certain fruits or vegetables where he will conduct tests to provide advice to the arboricultural profession.